There is a need to reinvent engineering, make it fit current industry needs: Chief Secretary

There is a need to reinvent engineering education, make it contemporary and tailor-made to fit the industrial need of the economy, urged Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, while speaking at the Founder’s Day of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI) here on Tuesday. The body was founded by Sir M. Visvesvaraya, one of India’s great engineers and statesmen.

Referring to nearly 30% of seats in engineering colleges lying vacant, she said it was time to reinvent engineering education to today’s times to support todays economic growth requirement of various industries.

Ms. Rajneesh pointed out that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has prepared a roadmap for increasing the export potential of electronics, semiconductor and engineering goods to $20,000 million ($20 billion). Of these three sectors, engineering goods would be the biggest chunk at around $9.2 billion, electronics and semiconductor $7.8 billion, textile $2.8 billion, while pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food processing, chemicals, marine etc. account for the rest, she said.

“This is a huge export potential that we are now waiting to explore and it cannot be done without the support and the energy of our women business leaders,” she emphasised.

Women’s contribution

Women leaders already contribute greatly to the economic growth of Karnataka, but they have to do much more than what they were doing currently, the Chief Secretary said.

“We have to increase women’s contribution by at least two-and-a-half times, and we have the potential. All it requires is make use of the available schemes, funding and other programmes for government, particularly the export promotion initiatives of the Commerce Ministry,’’ she said.

Speaking of Sir MV, she said his life reminds us of the true greatness, which is measured not just by monuments built but by the lives transformed. His pioneering innovations in irrigation, flood control, water resource management, continue to benefit all of us today, she remarked.

“His design of automatic sluice gates revolutionised dam engineering, while Krishnarajasagar dam transformed agriculture and prosperity across Karnataka,’’ she noted.

At the event, Gitanjali Kirloskar, Joint MD at Kirloskar Electric Company, was conferred the Sir M. Visvesvaraya Memorial Award set up by FKCCI.